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An Ancient Computer Surprises Scientists (2200yo Roman computer!)
New York Times ^ | November 29, 2006 | JOHN NOBLE WILFORD

Posted on 11/29/2006 11:41:47 AM PST by Alter Kaker

click here to read article


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To: Alter Kaker

It's Greek, not Roman! Sheesh.


21 posted on 11/29/2006 11:49:42 AM PST by visualops (artlife.us)
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To: Red Badger
Maybe It was invented by Steveus Jobbus.........

And these computers would have been all over the ancient world if he hadn't insisted on a proprietary system.

22 posted on 11/29/2006 11:50:29 AM PST by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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To: Alter Kaker

Would this ancient computer be subject to Trojan infection?


23 posted on 11/29/2006 11:51:22 AM PST by Charles Henrickson (Horsing around.)
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To: Alter Kaker

...and only his slaves could make one.............


24 posted on 11/29/2006 11:51:23 AM PST by Red Badger (New! HeadOn Hemorrhoid Medication for Liberals!.........Apply directly to forehead.........)
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To: longtermmemmory

It is Greek. NY Times are stupid.


25 posted on 11/29/2006 11:51:35 AM PST by visualops (artlife.us)
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To: Charles Henrickson

Not if you used a Trojan condom........


26 posted on 11/29/2006 11:51:52 AM PST by Red Badger (New! HeadOn Hemorrhoid Medication for Liberals!.........Apply directly to forehead.........)
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To: Alter Kaker

got it. My bad, I saw the error and anticipated it was yet another NYT mistake.

I never thought it was you!


27 posted on 11/29/2006 11:52:19 AM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: SunkenCiv

Ping!


28 posted on 11/29/2006 11:54:27 AM PST by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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To: Leftism is Mentally Deranged
an unexpected degree of technical sophistication for the period

It even had a "Delenda" key.

29 posted on 11/29/2006 11:54:47 AM PST by Charles Henrickson (Cathago delenda est!)
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To: Charles Henrickson

Instead of a QWERTY layout, it used the similar but now extinct SPQR keyboard.


30 posted on 11/29/2006 11:57:40 AM PST by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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To: Alter Kaker
This thing has been known about for the past 100 years, and was X-Rayed more than 50 years ago. Several working prototypes have been built in the past decade.

Why now do we have two articles on this thing posted today? What's so special about this that suddenly it's back in the news?

31 posted on 11/29/2006 11:58:02 AM PST by Junior (Losing faith in humanity one person at a time.)
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To: Alter Kaker

Apparently it ran a precursor to CP/M.


32 posted on 11/29/2006 11:58:05 AM PST by Comstock1 (If it's a miracle, Colour Sergeant, it's a short chamber Boxer Henry point 45 caliber miracle.)
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To: longtermmemmory

Technically speaking, the device was built at the height of the Roman empire (~2nd century CE), and Greece was part of that empire.


33 posted on 11/29/2006 11:59:22 AM PST by Junior (Losing faith in humanity one person at a time.)
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To: Junior

A new article was just published in Nature, revealing it to be more complex than previously believed. Regarding the date, according to the NY Times, it's 2nd century BC, not CE.


34 posted on 11/29/2006 12:01:24 PM PST by Alter Kaker ("Whatever tears one sheds, in the end one always blows one's nose." - Heine)
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To: Alter Kaker

FR does not allow Greek character or we would be able to post some real funny keyboard jokes.

Of course SOME ivory tower lunatic will condemn this because it comes from dead europeans.


35 posted on 11/29/2006 12:01:50 PM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Alter Kaker

It may be 2200 years old but the hard drive crashed 2198 years ago.


36 posted on 11/29/2006 12:03:07 PM PST by CholeraJoe (Spork weasels ain't afraid of nuthin' but running out of sardines.)
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To: Junior
Why now do we have two articles on this thing posted today? What's so special about this that suddenly it's back in the news?

A new high resolution X-ray scan was just done on it. Official results are supposed to be released in the next couple of days.

I wonder how long it will be before the geeks at slashdot have Linux running on a copy of it?

37 posted on 11/29/2006 12:03:07 PM PST by KarlInOhio (Hey Kerry, What part of showing heels and ass is a winning strategy in Iraq?)
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To: Alter Kaker

agrivate a professor remind them that "CE" stand for "Christian Era."


38 posted on 11/29/2006 12:03:48 PM PST by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: Alter Kaker

Yeah, I noticed the dating there. Up until today all the references I found placed it in the 1st or 2nd century CE. Now, a lot of them are changing their dates: Wikipedia now puts it at 80 BCE. That indeed may be the reason for the article. Researchers may have just redated it.


39 posted on 11/29/2006 12:04:24 PM PST by Junior (Losing faith in humanity one person at a time.)
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To: Alter Kaker
Thanks Alter Kaker.

Just adding this to the GGG catalog, not sending a general distribution. Just pinged a slightly older topic about this.

To all -- please ping me to other topics which are appropriate for the GGG list. Thanks.
Please FREEPMAIL me if you want on or off the
"Gods, Graves, Glyphs" PING list or GGG weekly digest
-- Archaeology/Anthropology/Ancient Cultures/Artifacts/Antiquities, etc.
Gods, Graves, Glyphs (alpha order)

40 posted on 11/29/2006 12:05:12 PM PST by SunkenCiv (I last updated my profile on Thursday, November 16, 2006 https://secure.freerepublic.com/donate/)
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